Getty Will Return 2 Greek Artifacts
The J. Paul Getty Trust agreed Monday to return two antiquities that Greek authorities say were taken illegally from their country.
The move to repatriate a 4th century BC inscribed tombstone and a 5th century BC marble relief, both on display at the Getty Villa, comes two months after museum director Michael Brand visited Athens and promised to address a decade-old request by the Greek government for the return of four disputed objects in the Getty's collection.
Monday's announcement, made in a joint statement released by the museum and Greek officials, marks an important step in addressing Greece's claim, but leaves unresolved the fate of the other two artifacts, which are of greater archeological significance and value.
A Greek law enforcement source said Monday that a criminal investigation of the Getty's acquisition of one of them, a gold funerary wreath, could lead to criminal charges in the coming weeks. Targets could include Marion True, the Getty's former antiquities curator who recommended acquiring the artifact, as well as board members who approved the acquisition, the source said. True is being tried in Italy on charges of conspiracy to traffic in looted art.
Getty spokesman Ron Hartwig dismissed as speculation the possibility of criminal charges being filed in Greece.
"We don't think the Greek government -- and certainly not the Getty -- would find it productive to do anything that would dampen the positive relationship we've begun to build," he said.
But as in Italy, police and prosecutors in Greece are independent of the Cultural Ministry officials with whom the Getty has been negotiating.
In the spring, agents twice raided True's vacation home on the island of Paros, seizing several unregistered antiquities of little value. Greek authorities said they were still weighing whether to charge the curator for possession of the artifacts.
In April, agents also raided an Athens residence and the former Greek island summer home of London antiquities dealer Robin Symes, a major supplier to the Getty. In that search, about 300 unregistered antiquities were confiscated -- reportedly the largest seizure in recent Greek history.
The raid also netted photos of dozens more objects handled by Symes, including several now at the Getty, Greek law enforcement sources said Monday. Those at the Getty may be added to the list of objects the Greeks want from the museum.
